THE CHAFFINCH. 335 



sir, you may see them there if you will take the trouble to step in. 

 I am a match for old Sally now. She can't do me any more harm 

 so long as the wiggin branches hang in the place where I have 

 nailed them. My poor cow will get well in spite of her." Alas ! 

 thought I to myself, as the deluded man was finishing his story, how 

 much there is yet to be done in our part of the country by the 

 schoolmaster of the nineteenth century. 



Waterton loved the song of this bird, and has made many notes 

 of hearing it : 



" MISSELTOE THRUSH. This bird congregates about the middle 

 of August. I saw from forty to fifty of them flying together on the 

 morning of the igth of August 1828; and I saw a smaller flock of 

 them the same afternoon." 



" MISSELTOE THRUSH was singing sweetly on the 2ist of Decem- 

 ber 1828." 



" MISSELTOE THRUSH sang here on the 25th of October and the 

 6th of November 1829. The Common Thrush sang here from the 

 i3th to the 2oth of November 1829." 

 "STORMCOCK. August 5, 1851. Stormcocks congregated." 

 "December 21, 1852. In full song, also hedgesparrow." 

 "January 23, 1853. Stormcock sang for the first time this season." 

 "THE MISSELTOE OR STORMCOCK THRUSH. The stormcocks 

 were singing here Delightfully on the i3th of December 1863." 



THE CHAFFINCH. 



" The thrushes chatter'd with affright, 

 The nightingales abhorr'd his sight ; 

 And every beast before him ran, 

 To shun the hateful sight of man." GAY. 



TIME was when the pretty denizens of air had no friend to encourage 

 them to settle in this part of the country. They were slain without 

 pity, or were chased away by every intruding gunner who took 

 pleasure in pursuing them, and whose heart never throbbed at the 



